How Dormick Park Is Strengthening Literacy Through Family Engagement

At Dormick Park Elementary School, a new literacy initiative is helping families take an active role in their child’s reading journey. Grounded in the school plan, the focus is on strengthening literacy through consistent support at school and at home.

This year, staff introduced a more coordinated approach to literacy. All students now bring home book bags with levelled reading books matched to each student’s reading level, ensuring consistent access to reading materials and reinforcing daily reading habits beyond the school day.

To support families, staff created short, parent-friendly videos that model what reading at home can look like. The videos use simple, parent-friendly language to make supporting literacy at home approachable for all families.

The initiative was designed to remove barriers, particularly for families new to Canada or unfamiliar with English literacy practices. During parent-teacher conferences, many families shared that they had watched the videos and were using the strategies at home.

By moving from individual classroom approaches to a shared, school-wide strategy, Dormick Park is strengthening early reading skills and building confidence across all 296 students. 

This work would not have been possible without the efforts of Mr. Hipwell, a teacher at Dormick Park, whose contributions helped bring the videos to life.

Aligned with the Abbotsford School District Strategic Plan, this initiative highlights how strong family partnerships and intentional approaches can support student success. Across the district, elementary schools use a variety of strategies to support literacy development. This is one example of many, and families are encouraged to connect with their child’s school to learn how they can support reading at home.